1. Field
Apparatuses and methods consistent with exemplary embodiments relate to imaging a breast using an X-ray, and more particularly, to imaging a breast using an X-ray while the breast is not pressed.
2. Description of the Related Art
A related art X-ray apparatus images the breast as follows: a patient's breast is placed on a support and compressed by a compression paddle to a maximum degree, an image area of a compressed breast is captured, and a captured X-ray image is output through an image processor.
To reduce an X-ray dose and obtain a superior image, the breast of a patient is compressed with a great force so that the breast is substantially flattened out and the thickness of the breast is substantially decreased. Further, an arm of the patient is placed higher than a shoulder level in uncomfortable and painful position, to not obstruct the view. As a result, a patient usually feels much pain and/or discomfort during the breast mammography. Also, since the related art X-ray breast mammography is routinely performed at least four times to obtain a left mediolateral oblique (LMLO) view, a right mediolateral oblique (RMLO) view, a left craniocaudal (LCC) view, and a right craniocaudal (RCC) view, X-ray is performed for a long time so that an amount of the pain of a patient increases and the patient's radiation dose increases. Furthermore, when there are abnormality findings in an image, enlargement imaging and tomography may be additionally performed, which increases the pain and the radiation dose of a patient. Also, a workflow may be increased.